the things we lose have a way of coming back to us
by dimitrisgirl18
Summary: "The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect." A collection of drabbles about love, life, and losing things-and almost always finding them.
1. saving him

_saving him_

* * *

Neville had lost the ability to be happy. Despite the fact that they won the war, that they were saved and they saved everyone else, he still felt like he had lost. "What's wrong?" asked a familiar, light voice from behind him.

He turned around to see her smiling at him and couldn't resist smiling back, even if it was a bit of a sad smile. "Oh, nothing." he answered.

She stepped up to him and ran a thumb over his forehead. "You're bleeding," she said, not worried, but observing.

"Yeah, Luna, really, I'm fine. Just a scratch." he insisted.

From her bag, she produced a handkerchief and wiped it off. "There."

"Thanks." He was expecting an awkward silence to follow, but instead she filled it with musings about Nargles and radishes and professors and the best ways to tie shoes, as if she knew he needed not to talk but to be talked to, to fill the void. He grinned and even laughed a few times, and when they had reached what used to be Hogwarts, he took her hand.

"Dinner?" he asked. "You, me, Gran?"

"Sure," she said, smiling softly. "Neville?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For being brave." she answered, and kissed him as tenderly and softly as if she was a breeze, flowing past him and briefly touching his life.

"You're welcome," he said, feeling like he was blushing. "Er, right, should we go inside then?"

"Okay." she said. "Did you know that there could be as many as one hundred Snarfers sitting on your shoulder right now?"

"Well, that would be awkward."

"Oh, not at all." she said. He was sure there was an explanation of Snarfers, or what they did, or how nice they were, but if he was being honest he simply couldn't remember. He was lost in her face, in her eyes, in her smile, in the sound of her voice. Everything about her screamed 'I am what you need.'

Because sometimes, Neville thought, the things you lose have a way of coming back to you in the end, if not always in the way you expect.

Luna taught him that.

* * *

_A/N: Written for Cheeky's Weekly Drabble Competition, Easy: Write about a noncanon pairing._

_Allie_


	2. the labyrinth

_the labyrinth _

* * *

"Lily?"

"What, mom?" Lily tried to sound as normal as possible, and quickly hid the evidence before her mom had the chance to walk into her room. She picked up a book and pulled her sleeves down.

"We're leaving to see Teddy off in an hour, just make sure you're packed and ready," her mom said, sticking her head in through the doorframe.

"Okay, yeah, sure." Lily said quickly.

Ginny paused. "Lil?"

"What?" she asked, sighing.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong."

"Why is there a knife sticking out from under your pillow?"

Lily felt tears stinging at her eyes, threatening to fall through and ruin her composure. Not here, not now, this is not how she wanted anyone to find out. Actually, she didn't want anyone to find out how completely lost she had been for the past year. "Don't, mum." she said. "Don't ask."

Ginny sat down on her only daughter's bed and looked her straight in the eyes. "Lily Luna Potter, what is going on?"

"Mom, I cut!" she shouted.

Harry stepped one foot into the room. "What?"

Lily put her face in her hands. "Oh, Merlin, Dad, go away."

He, too, sat down on her bed, and Lily felt like her privacy was being completely invaded. It was her room, her bed, her personal space, her knife, and her arms. Well, and her stomach. And legs. "Just go away, please. I don't want to talk about it."

Ginny reached out and took Lily's hand, gently rubbing her fingers. "Honey, it's okay. We're here to talk about it.

"Talk about what?" Albus asked, walking in. "Are we having a family meeting?" He sat down in her beanbag chair, making himself comfortable and Lily slightly irriated.

"Al, go away. Next thing we know, James is going to walk in, and it'll be a regular old family love session," she said, her voice oozing sarcasm. "James Sirius Potter," she yelled in the general direction of the hallway. "If you come in my room, I will hex your-"

"Okay," Harry interjected. "Lily, what is this?" He slid the knife out from under her pillow, and she felt so ashamed, so low, and so angry, that she grabbed it back and put it where he had taken it from.

"Don't ask." she said. "You know what it is, and you know I want you to leave."

Ginny wrapped her daughter in a hug, whether she liked it or not, and Lily saw Albus's face. He looked heartbroken.

"Lils," he said. "You could've talked to me."

"Al, you're sweet, but I couldn't have. I don't want any of your help. I don't want anyone's help, actually. Just leave me alone."

Ginny took her daughter's face in her hands and gave her a sad smile. "We love you, Lily. And we're going to help you through this."

But as they left, Lily knew that she had to find her way out of the labyrinth alone. She was lost, and no one could help her. Not even her family.

* * *

_A/N: This was written for Cheeky's Weekly Drabble Competition, Medium: Write a family-centric fic involving at least one Next Gen character. You must use the prompts sweet, lost, and hand._

_Allie_


	3. butterbeer girl

_butterbeer girl_

* * *

Cho walked into the common room, tripping slightly, but recovering herself quickly. It was only from this walk that Luna knew something was wrong.

"Cho?" she whispered. It was late, and she hadn't been expecting anyone to come in.

The older girl glanced her way. "Luna!" she said, the word elongated more than necessary. She proffered a brown bottle from underneath her cloak. "Butterbeer?"

Luna shook her head. She hadn't taken Cho for a drinker, but she learned something new every day.

"Your loss." Cho sat down with a thud and took a swig, the bottle almost slipping from her fingers as she clumsily put it down. Luna reached out and steadied it.

"It's Harry," she inferred quietly.

"What?" Cho asked, smiling.

"It's Harry." she repeated. "You're sad about Harry."

"Yep," Cho popped her 'p.' "He's probably going to die." She laughed. "I'm cheery, aren't I?" She moved to take another drink, but Luna put her hand over the bottle. "What, you want a drink now?"

"No, but you shouldn't have any more."

Cho tried to pull the bottle away, but Luna wouldn't let her. Cho would've been stronger, but she was completely drunk. "No fair." she slurred. It was quiet, and then "I just feel so much pressure. To be The Boy Who Lived's perfect girlfriend. I should be lucky that I'm dating him, right?" Luna didn't say anything. "But I'm not. It's really hard, when everyone looks at him and not you."

Luna put the bottle aside and took Cho by the hand, leading her up to her bedroom as she rambled. As she tucked her in, Cho began to drift off. "And it's just a lot…" she yawned. "Goodnight, Luna. Dream like rainbows."

She smiled and headed to bed. Cho Chang was more beautiful than she knew.

* * *

_A/N: For Cheeky's Weekly, Hard: Write a character you've never written before. Your drabble must be under 300 words, and you must take two prompts from me._

_Wordcount: 300 exactly._

_Allie_


	4. kiss me again

_kiss me again_

* * *

**"Being brave means to know something is scary, difficult, and dangerous, and doing it anyway, because the possibility of winning the fight is worth the chance of losing it."- Emilie Autumn.**

* * *

It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. But honestly, Sirius Black was going to do it anyway. He took Remus's hand, looked into his eyes, and kissed him. He didn't care, at this point, that he might not have his feelings reciprocated. Rather, the chance that Remus might actually love him back was the only thing he could think about, night and day.

Remus was caught off guard, that much was obvious. But Sirius couldn't tell what he felt.

"Kiss me again." he said.

Okay, so it was pretty obvious what he felt, too.

Sirius smiled. "How?"

"Like you did."

"Oh, that's not fair," he replied. "Give me an example."

"Fine," Remus huffed. "Like this." He kissed him, a full kiss, tongue in mouth and hands in hair and on shoulders and backs and hips and waists and cheeks—those glorious cheekbones—going everywhere.

Sirius pulled away for breath. "Oh," he said. "Like that." He grinned. "I can do that."

"Why didn't you do it sooner?"

"Well, I thought…after the incident with Snape…you might not like me that way ever again, if you did to begin with."

"I forgave you for that, Sirius." Remus insisted. "A long time ago."

"Yeah, but I never forgave myself," he whispered. "That was probably the scariest thing I've ever done."

"Even scarier than becoming a giant dog to hang out with your wolf friend at night?"

"Well, just a bit."

They both laughed. Sirius looked out across the field to where James was walking towards them, a confused look on his face.

"Who wants to tell Prongs his best mates are dating?"

"Not me." Sirius said quickly. When Remus gave him a look, he said "I've used up all of my supply of brave and daring for the day, kissing you."

James, who had reached them in time to hear the last of that sentence, squinted at them. "Oi, what?"

The two exchanged a look. "Er, surprise!" Remus said.

James unsquinted and stared, and then smiled. "Merlin, finally. The sexual tension between you two for the past two weeks has been so obvious. You shag yet?"

"Prongs!"

* * *

_A/N: For Cheeky's Weekly, Insane: Write a character from an era before the Trio era (Marauders, Riddle, Founders). You must take a prompt (example), quote, and story starter._

_Allie_


	5. forgetting

_forgetting_

mum said "I'll see you tomorrow"

so you said okay

and you went upstairs

spun around in a circle

and fell on the floor

because you wanted to forget

in the morning, you got up

and you went outside

and spun around in a circle

and fell on the ground

that was covered in golden leaves

the color of autumn, the color of your thoughts

because somehow you couldn't forget

and then you wonder

what if "I'll see you tomorrow" was no longer a statement

but a question?

"will I see you tomorrow?"

because as rose knew better than anyone else

sometimes you don't get up the next morning

if one night, she used her wand

or her knife

or her bottle

and she followed her brother

and she didn't come back

and she wouldn't "see you tomorrow"

so she kept spinning

and she kept falling

and she kept asking herself the question

because she didn't know how else to forget

that she only had herself

* * *

_A/N: For Cheeky's, Bonus: Freeverse about Rose Weasley._

_Allie_


End file.
